Irish Historical Documents, Vol. 1

Description: 1. Introduction: Irish and Latin documents as sources for Irish history (Including a discussion of problems in using so-called ‘traditional’ information; the difficulties in dating early texts found in later manuscripts; the compilatory nature of Irish annals; differing attitudes to Irish and Latin language sources; the local rather than national nature of much pre-Norman material) 2. Chapter 1: Fifth-century and earlier sources (These to include extracts dealing with Ireland from Strabo’s Geography, Tacitus’ Agricola & Annals; Ptolemy’s Geography & Almagest; Solinus’ Collectanea rerum Memorabilium; Ammianus Marcellinus’ History; the writings of St Jerome; Orosius’ History against the pagans; Patrick’s Confessio as found in the Book of Armagh; Ogam stones) 3. Chapter 2: Sixth-century sources: (These to include extracts from Ogam stones; Columbanus’ letters & sermons; Penitential of Finnian; Amra Columcille (an elegy on the death of St Columba) 4. Chapter 3: Seventh-century sources (These to include extracts from 7th century annals dealing with high-kings of Tara and provincial kings of Ireland; two poems on Leinster genealogies; Cogitosus’ life of Brigit; Muirchu’s life of Patrick - as found in the Book of Armagh; Tirechan’s Collectanea; two poems on Columba; Cain Adomnain - a legal tract on the rights of women and clerics)l lament for Cuimine Foto; the Antiphonary of Bangor. 5. Chapter 4: Eighth-century sources. (These to include extracts from Ciarraige genealogies; annals of Iona; Munster sources on kingship; extracts from law-tracts dealing with role of rulers (both secular and ecclesiastical); marriages; control of land; role of poets; wisdom tracts on rulers; Timna Cathair Mair - poetic account of Leinster kingdoms; charter material from the Book of Armagh) 6. Chapter 5: Ninth-century sources; (These to include extracts from origin legends of dynasties such as the Ui Neill & the Eoganachta - most important kings in northern and southern halves of Ireland respectively. Also Senchas Sil Ir - traditions about the prehistoric history of Ulster; annals dealing with arrival of Vikings; Baile in Scail - account of kings of Tara and their burial places; annals dealing with Fedelmid mac Crimthann - king and holy man; Vita Tripartita - legendary account of Patrick’s British childhood & his travels in Ireland; annals of Armagh; Bethu Brigde - legendary account of Brigit including her consecration as a bishop; Monastery of Tallaght - account of the Celi De. 7. Chapter 6: Tenth-century sources (Annals dealing with Clonmacnoise; the kingdom of Mide; Tuathal Techtmar & the story of Uisnech; annals of Dal Cais; annals for Viking wars of 917; Flann Manistrech’s poems concerning political events; Lanfranc’s & Anselm’s letters - by archbishops of Canterbury to Irish kings; professions of bishops of Dublin, Waterford and Limerick; annals giving bishops territorial titles) 8. Chapter 7: Eleventh-century sources (Accounts of Battle of Clontarf and annals dealing with Brian Boru’s descendants; annals dealing with the kingdom of Leinster; Oenach Carmain - a poem on the assembly of the Leinstermen; Metrical Dindshenchas on Teltown (site of annual fair connected to kingship of Tara); Conchubranus’ Life of St Monena) 9. Chapter 8: Twelfth-century sources (These to include extracts from Cogadh Gaedhal re Gallaibh; The Book of Rights; the kingdom of Cenel nEogain; the kingdom of Connacht; Banshenchas; Synodal decrees of 1101; Dublin poem - on taxes due to Armagh by Vikings; Bernard’s Life of Malachy; Leabhar Gabala Erenn - the book of the [prehistoric] invasions of Ireland; the miracles of St Laurence O'Toole; Jocelin of Furness’ Life of Columba; foundation charter of Newry)